LOTG: The Tale of Shard (DISCONTINUED)
by IllusionWriter
Summary: Xavier has a complicated family that doesn't truly understand him. What they don't know is what he is behind closed doors. When a goverment takeover is declared, the madness forces him and his friend to high-tail it. When Xavier wakes up an owl, he tries to find the meaning of this phenomenon. He discovers he's in a magical place called Ga'Hoole, but battles between good and evil.
1. Chapter 1

_**~The sound of wings beating in the air slowly grew louder, and louder, until my hearing was completely blocked off; I slipped into a deep coma...~**_

I fell upon my bed to rest.

What a hard day it was, and sadly, it was like this everyday. "When will it ever stop?" I said to myself.

It had been over 3 years since my great grandfather had passed away from cancer.

It wasn't like it ruined my entire life, but he was a great man who fought in the second world war. He was a very kind soul, and that also meant that one more greatly encouraging person was gone.

..in other words, one less 'lovable' person in my family.

 **BANG-BANG!**

There was a loud knock on the door, and I knew who it was...it was my annoying as heck sister. it had to be dinner time, cause every time instead of opening my door and simply telling me to come out, they just hit it, which I obviously didn't think was humane. Maybe it was just me? We had Pizzahut as usual, nothing wrong with it at all, but the pizza went FAST.

"So what are we going to do this summer?" I said with a disappointing, yet honest voice. "I told you already, were going to Bush Gardens." my mom said with a stubborn tone.

My mom had always been like this, but when I was at least 12 years old, we were very close, in fact- honestly I was "momma's boy". I was always helping out, and worrying about my mom. But that was over 3 years ago, and I was now 15. My birthday was in August, and it was the most ordinary birthday EVER.

But my cousin saved me from losing my mind at most times at least; he was like my brother.

"I was just saying...we barely do anything exciting." I replied back firmly.

"Then what do you want to do?" my dad replied back to me. He always said the same thing every time. And since it was such a frequently-asked question, I said the same types of things, with a little sarcasm.

"Oh...sky-diving, rock-climbing...uh...getting out of the U.S?" I said dramatically, but with a serious face.

I was a teenager, but I wasn't like most.

I loved to draw, I HATED most of today's music because it lacked common sense and it personally didn't didn't touch my soul at all, but I adored artists that spoke honest truth. They showed music that would only get to 'me'. Yeah, I was an interesting one.

I walked out of the kitchen, and into my room.

 _Why can't they understand me? I was such a good person, but their attitudes towards me makes me seem so "disrespectful"..._ I thought to myself. I was probably just overthinking things, admittedly. I was a teenager after all. I was just bored of going through the same things day after day.

I was such an inspirational person, so loyal to one's that respected and understood me, so optimistic about the world we live in, thinking every single moment of my life about so many specific things, but sadly- I was what you would call "a bird who had no wings"; a person who saw him or herself born to travel and explore many places, and the world, but would never get to. _[a day dreamer...]_

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of my house, and a marching of boots on the first floor of the house... I was on the second.

"Get out of your rooms, NOWWW!" I heard someone tell, a gun clanked and made a 'cha-chink' noise.

"A gun..."

...

...

...


	2. Chapter 2

We ran into the An old factory, that looked it had been abandoned for decades.

"Goodness...they shoud'nt find us here..."

I was tired, and so was Daniel.

Daniel was good friend of mine that I had known for many years, but shockingly, I hadn't know him very well. He had lived in an apartment far from where mine was so we didn't meet up much, but we were still in the same complex.

"Dude...now what?" Daniel said, turning my way, whilst looking out of the broken window near me for any other militants.

There was an owl standing there on the window seal; a barn owl. But before Daniel could say anything, it noticed he was aware of it and flew off.

His was a little weird because Daniel usually tells me about everything he sees that's of interest.

Another example of what this war-torn world has done to him..and most likely 'us'.

"I dunno..."

I had known about the Martial law, the New World Order, and this 'New Age agenda' before all of this happened...sadly, not many people knew, and the ignorance of it's history, and people's denial led to the life-loss of the 'blind' and unprepared.

The military (the bad ones) had been ordered to invade the cities and states for total control, and eliminate anyone who dared to oppose.

After awhile of thinking to myself, I slid under my blankets, and put on my earphones. I then played 'Frontline' by Pillar.

The battery was low, and obviously there was no electricity at this time...

The song was still playing as I slowly drifted to sleep...my last thoughts:

...

ι ωιѕн ι ¢συℓ∂ jυѕт ℓєανє тнιѕ ƒяєαкι'η place αlяєα∂у!"...

"..."

"Do you think it's the right time?" a mysterious voice said.

"No...not yet..."

A sound of hooting occured...and my mind went black...pitch-black indeed, and it was like my eyes were closed.

well, oғ coυrѕe мy eyeѕ were cloѕed, ι waѕ aѕleep!

I tried to move, but I coudn't. I was paralyzed.

*HOOT HOOT*...

The sound grew closer, and closer, and then I heard a few clicking sounds...it sounded like someone...or something was making them...

SCHREECCHH!

"Ahhh!" I screamed, waking up.

"Was I asleep?" I said to myself. "That was way to creepy..."

Being me, I turned to tell Daniel (who was surprisingly still asleep) about what happened.

And he of course, like any other person, announced it was just a bad dream. "I think you're listening to too much music." Daniel humorously joked.

oғ coυrѕe he would ѕay тнaт,..oн, and gυeѕѕ wнaт'ѕ coмιng neхт? -_-

"Weー you bed to get more sleep, so we don't fall behind tommorow.." he fell back on his pillow and pulled the sheets back over him, falling asleep almost immediately.

And he was only 11 years old...being bossy at that age meant bad business, but we were still great friends.

But who coulda blamed him? Maybe this dream was a sign of paranoia and depression. I was under a lot of pressure, after all. And so was Daniel.

I slowly slid back in my sheets in the corner of the factory.

"That was too real, like a lucid dream...except it was so real!" I exclaimed to myself. It was a pretty cool and exciting experience on the other hand.

"Better than dealing with this "New World Order" nonsense..." I muddered to myself, while pulling the blankets back over my shoulders.

"...I don't understand...who is he?...an 'Other', I suppose?" a voice said.

"maybe..."

I immediately gasped for breath.

And when I opened my eyes, I immediately notice what was wrong...i wasn't in a factory...matter of fact, I was near the edge of a cliff!


	3. Chapter 3

I didn't understand what was happening. "Wh-where am I?" I said almost quivering. I looked around me, still stiffened; unable to move anything but my eyes, and head...but something was completley off. My head moved very swiftly and fast, and turned at odd angles...

I still couldn't move anything But my head and eyes, then I finally broke free of this 'curse'!

"Yes!" I cried out loud.

ι really need тo aтop вlυrтιng мy ғeelιngs oυт тo тнe world...

Then I heard something in the distance.

*HOOT HOOOOT..*

"Owls!?" I said to myself.

Anything that could fly inspired me, especially owls, but I really hated bugs, and definatley bats! So let's just say i adored birds of all kinds, but all due respect to went to the owls.

'вυт waιт...ѕoмeтнιng ғeelѕ...oғғ'

I felt lighter, and 'exposed' to the world, if ya know what I mean. 0_0

Then it hit me. I looked at myself...I WAS AN OWL!

"The heck!?" I said dumbfolded.

I quickly tried to get up, and fell down a few times due to have been on the ground for what seemed quite some time now.

"Wha-wh-what is this?" I said still confused from the event.

тнιѕ can'т вe real...

"oн,...вυт ιт ιѕ...yoυng'υn..."

I jumped. the voice came out of nowhere.

"He-hello?...is-is anyone there?" I said shivering in confusion and fear.

"∂σ ησт ƒєαя, ι αм gℓαυχ, тнє ѕριяιт σƒ gα'.." the Unknown voice whispered back.

"ι υη∂єяѕтαη∂ уσυя ¢σηƒυѕιση...вυт уσυ нανє вєєη ѕєηт нєяє ∂σя α νєяу ѕρє¢ιƒι¢ яєαѕση...уσυ ωιℓℓ нєℓρ ℓєα∂ тнє gυαя∂ιαηѕ σƒ gα'нσσℓє тσ α gяєαт νι¢тσяу...вυт ƒιяѕт...∂ιƒƒι¢υℓт тιмєѕ ωιℓℓ αρρєαℓ тσ уσυ...вяєαк тняσυgн тнєєѕє нαя∂ мσмmєηтѕ αη∂ уσυ'ℓℓ вє jυѕт ƒιηє..."

The voice disapated, and was soon gone. "I MUST be lucid dreaming, or-or something..." I said to myself in a bold term.

I looked at my hand-uh-erm, wing and examined it. I knew all about owls, but I wasn't a "tree hugger", don't get me wrong, but from what I could tell...brownish-white along мy wιngѕ and вacĸ, ғace near white, ғeaтнerѕ golden-brown...тнaт'ѕ ιт!

"A barn owl!" I said amusingly to myself. then I heard another Hoot in the sky, and it was joined by

many others. I quickly gazed at the sky...but nothing.

wнaт ιn glaυх'ѕ naмe waѕ goιng on?

I coud'nt help thinking that, I mean I am an owl right? My thoughts turned specifically to the book series 'Guardians Of Ga'hoole'.

Seeing the books and the movie was good enough, but this was beyond 'Explainable'.

The hooting soon haulted.

SWOOSHH!

I was quickly lifted straight off the ground by a very large flying animal! "What the heck is goi-"

"Shut your beak, child!" The flying bird said swiftly and boldly. Then it hit me. It was an owl; it had very large ear tufts that I almost mistaked for an extra set of wings.

"What in the world is going on here!?" I yelled back at the owl. "I said stop talking! You'll find where were going such a..."hoot"..heheh." the owl replied back. Then soon after I had just realised another owl was flying near us.

anoтнer one? ...нмм..looĸѕ lιĸe ιт'ѕ нoldιng ѕoмeтнιng..

An owl?

I then turned my head back at the huge owl carying me, and stole a glance at his face. He was facing the direct opposite of where I was looking: the sky. Then he slowly turned his head towards mine.

нoly ѕмoĸeѕ! нιѕ нead jυѕт тυrned тнaт ғar? XO

He was an owl after all... -_-

The other owl that was gliding next to us flew in a little closer. "Hey...hey!..." a voice whispered out.

I rotated my head back downwards to my left side and noticed it was the owl held captive speaking to me. "Just keep quiet, it's the best bet right now..make sure you and I stay together." the owl said. It sounded like it was a male, and from what I could make out, a Barn owl.


	4. Chapter 4

We neared a small, and fast-approaching, stoney-looking, and highly immitating canyon.

The "small" area soon got even bigger. "Here we are!" the long-eared owl said as he tossed me to the ground, as well as the other owl who was with me.

"Oĸay, now ι'м conғυѕed." We were soon greeted by the same owls that had abducted us. "Well, I told you that this place would be a "hoot"...hahaa!" the owl scolded laughing.

"Heheheh, very funny.." I said back to him sarcastically.

"Excuse me, little one?" The owl said back. I wasn't the type to easily be scared, definatley NOT a show-off, but a very brave soul.

My motto: "Why be scared of the person? Only worry about what that 'person' can do to you"

...Though, the question still remained, what could they do to me...or...us?

"...N-nothing..."

υgн! ι нaтed нavιng тo ѕay тнe laѕт parт, вυт ι coυd'nт acт lιĸe ѕυcн a 'wιѕe-owl', or тнey woυld ĸnow wнaт мy perѕonalιтy тrυly waѕ...

"..Sir..." I finished. :(

"That's what I thought!" he said sharply staring at me while chuckling.

Quickly, the owl roughly turned me around to face a rock that seemed to be pointing straight out of a higher level of this..."prison", and the other owl did the same to the barn owl.

"I am Nyra, now...I know that you all oh, so dearly miss your homes...but you are all orphans now..to serve High Tyto; the pure ones are your family now.." An intimidating barn owl said from above. Her feathers were snow white, and she had some type of mark of the shape of a 'V' stride down her face.

"The pure one are not our family, let us go!" a famillar voice echoed.

There was a brief silence...

"What's this?" Nyra silently hooted, then flew down to the spot were the outburst came from. There was some type of commotion going on, then I saw an elf and barn owl being escorted away. "That's not good." I said to the barn owl I had meet after being abducted.

"I know..." he replied back.

мαувє ι ѕнσυℓ∂ αѕк ƒσя нιѕ ηαмє?

"H-hey, barn owl, what's your na-" He cut me off.

"Name's Titan, and yours?"

wнaт ѕнoυld ι ѕay? ѕнoυld ι тell нιм мy real naмe?, Xavier? Naw, I тecнnιcally waѕn'т "Xavier" anyмore...oнн, perғecт!-

"My name?, uhh..my name is Shard." I nervously bolted back. He took a curious glance at me, and it almost felt like he knew I was lying somehow. "Cool, that's a great name." he said smiling.

"Th-thanks." I announced hesitivativley.

í just dídn't gєt ít...íf thє "purє σnєs" wєrє stríctlч αftєr вαrn σwls, whч díd thєч snαtch mє? í'm α young barn σwl, nσt α bloody adult barn owl!

wait...what?...that didn't make any sense...

I was interrupted by a sound of flapping in my head, something was flying towards us...

Three owls landed beside Nyra; the two loonies that kidnapped me, and another Barn owl, which had a scar running down it's beak, a possible war scar...

The scarred barn owl began to speak. "General Mam, Jatt and Jutt have found these two owlets during my group's search for Thora.."

Thora?,...ωнσ'ѕ тнαт?

Nyra then swirled her head around to Jatt and Jutt.

"Well, for once you could do something like this without a screw-up, surprising indeed." Nyra exclaimed, whilst back around staring both me and Titan down.

"Jutt, Jatt, report back to the Pellatorium."

"Yes, Nyra..." both Jatt And Jutt quickly glided to another part of the layer, or where ever the heck it was!

I then felt a tingling sensation in my...well...gizzard, if you would call it. I slowly looked up, and saw that Nyra was still staring at me, and she looked deep into my eyes, causing me to freeze dead in my talons.

"We'll find good use for you..." she said following a menacing smile.

Then out of nowhere, a boreal owl landed right next to me!

gσσ∂ gℓαυχ!, ∂α gσσ∂ ηαмє σƒ тнє ℓσя∂(уєѕ Jesus) ∂ι∂ уσυ ¢σмє ƒяσм?

After the boreal owl stole a mild glance from Nyra, he soon spoke up: "You two!, what are your names?" I then spoke up: "My name is Shard.." The barn owl soon followed: "And mine..is Titan.."

"Good, now, you!-" The boreal owl pointed a wing at me. "You are now 12-4!, and Titan, 12-7!" He said.

υgн!, вυт dιd нe нave тo ѕay ιт ѕo darn loυd!? ιғ yoυ нaden'т noтιce, owlѕ нave every ѕнarply-enнanced нearιng... -_-

"Now...have fun..уσυ тσσ." Nyra had said the last two words coming out of her mouth as sharp as a shining sword.

I had notice three glowing bags of what looked like some type of crystals, but I failed to first notice what were moving them. I focused my eyes on the moving objects.

"Vampire ba-!?" I said almost outloud, before Titan saved my life, by covering my beak with his wing.

A few lutienants from mildly-above store down around our area, but I don't think they heard us.

"What are we gunna do?" I whispered out to Titan. He shrugged his wings. Then someone shoved us into some sort of line.

"Where are you taking-"

"Shhh...don't ask any questions young'un.." a familiar voice interrupted. Titan continued: "Wh-who are you?" The mysterious boreal owl spoke up. "My name is Grimble, or, well here, "28-5, heheheh." he said humorously.

"R-right.." I stuttered.

"You don't have to be alarmed..there are two more owls wanting out just like you.." Grimble sighed boldly. "R-really.. where?" Titan said excitedly.

"Just, keep in line, and do not repeat your number, nor expose yourselves to the moon,...they are really trying to brainwash you."

"Brainwash?" Titan said slightly terrified. "That's right...I'm gunna create a distraction, I'll give you a signal, and then I want you to follow two owls near the edge of that cliff over there while they also try to escape...they'll be looking for the great ga'hoole tree.." Grimble explained.

°тry? wнadoya мean тry?! тнere'ѕ a cнance we aren'т goιng тo мaĸe ιт?°

"You've got to be yoicks!" Titan Stampeded. "What if we get caught?"

Grimble quickly responded with firmness in every word. "What if you never get another chance?"

There was an awkward silence between the three of us. "Good Point..." Titan said guiltfully.


	5. Chapter 5

Me and Titan followed Grimble's advice and followed the rest of the 'supposedly' moon-blinked owlets to a fork path that seemed to have been separated from a fairly large formation of rocks. There was a huge boulder in the middle of the path...

"If we could somehow get behind that rock and hide, maybe the pure ones wouldn't notice we've ditched the group.." Titan slowly told me. "You're right, but act as 'moon-blinked' as possible..." I added on.

"Sure thing, Shard."

We watched a few guards slowly fly by to watch for anything 'out-of-the-ordinary'. Too bad for them, that "out-of-the-ordinary" they should've been looking for was us.

Slowly and steadily, We both acted as we were brainwashed and focused our eyes on the boulder just ahead. Suddenly an owl sprung forth right in front of us.

"нoly crap! wнaт now?" I Thought.

"You two, you're out of line! Get back in your position!" The western screech owl ordered. "That's not what ya mom said last night..." I silently replied. I heard Titan churr a little. "Excuse me?" the Screech owl replied back.

I said nothing because if I did, that would probably give my position away. "reмeмвer, Xavi-, ι мean Shard, owlѕ ѕтιll нave a great ѕenѕe oғ нearιng!"

"I thought I heard something." said the screech owl, as he slowly turned back towards the front of the brainwashed 'parliament' of owls.

"Well, that was close." Titan said while trying to recover from the sudden joke. "That owl you just 'cracked one' on is Sproon, he's another lieutenant here, his job is to-"

"Make sure no one gets out of line?" I suddenly interrupted. He stared at me with mocking eyes. "What?" I said under pressure.

We had gotten to the boulder, and quickly hopped unto it, and out of sight. "I just hope no one saw us do this." I exclaimed. Soon, after the whole group of 'mindless' owls were out of sight, I looked at Titan and saw behind him.

"Wait...who's that?" I said to Titan. "Looks like some type of training..." Titan replied with curiosity.

There was another owl, and many others somewhat 'determined' to catch whatever they were chasing... "A bird?" I said weakly.

I heard Nyra's Voice at the scene. A barn owl finally caught the poor, defenseless bird. "Good work, Kludd." I heard Nyra say to the barn owl.

"Kludd..." I thought to myself.

Then, suddenly I had a sudden twitch in my gizzard. Out of my peripheral vision I saw a boreal owl.

"Hey...look it's Grimble!"

Titan rotated his head in delight. but someone was fighting him! I quickly tried to over near the scene, though it was very difficult due yo the fact that there were no gusts, or even any wind at all.

"Come on Titan!" I screamed back at him.

We both went to silently investigate the scene. He was fighting a Great horned owl, but this one looked like a female.

"ѕĸencн!" The thought rolled through my head.

"Who's Skench?" I said silently to myself. Was it the owl Grimble was fighting?

"Go, tell the guardians!" he screeched to someone. Who was he talking too? At the corner of his eye, Grimble caught a glimpse of us hiding behind a few stone walls.

"You too! Go, now!" he yelled. Then, my worst nightmares- every single pure one's eyes were on us.

"уєαн, тнαт'ѕ jυѕт ρєяƒє¢т!" I Thought. We made a run for it, and as we quickly approach the end of the rocky, jagged cliff, I suddenly realized something: I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REALLY FLY!


	6. Chapter 6

I looked behind me. Grimble was falling towards the ground, then Skench gave the final blow, as he plummeted towards the foggy sea.

"Oh no..."

"..." Titan remained silent.

Then a sharp voice echoed from above. "Get them, now!" It was Nyra.

"чєαhh, nσt tσdαч вírd-вrαín!"

We were edging the rock formation near the top of St. Ageolius. Two pure ones held out their talons and quickly descended on our position. I took a quick wince at their talons. They were shiny, and very deadly...but it was some type of weapon...

"BATTLE CLAWS!"

I exhaled, and quickly turned around, facing an enormous-looking owl. He had a huge helmet over his head, and what looked like his beak and half of his face had previously been torn off. he also looked blind in one eye.

"What?, Shard, what are you, yoicks?" Titan's words echoed from far away. He very swiftly approached me, and I was planning on disarming him of his battle claws, and try to buy us a little time; I knew we wouldn't out-fly them. "Ugh, fine!" Titan Shouted as he flew towards were I was fighting the Armed owl.

About four pure one soldiers cornered us all-round. "Great, now what?" halted Titan as he turn towards me. But I was still fighting off the Masked owl.

"Wh-who did this to your face?" I said frightened, but peeked with Curiosity.

"You really Want to know?" the huge sooty owl said. I just looked at him blankly. "Hmm..maybe if I end your life right here, you'll find out in that precious glaumora in the sky!" he blurred out as he griped my left wing with one of his battle claws. "Ahhh!" I screeched in pain. He then propelled us both towards the St. Agelious ground below.

"You fool, you'll kill us both!" I told him, looking directly into his eyes. He just stared at me and smirked. "Shard!" Titan yelled.

He didn't know what to do.

"Titan, listen! Go! Go to the Ga'hoole tree!" I had let out with all my might. He just stared at me as the sooty owl and I grew in closer to the ground.

"I'll-I'll come back for you Shard!" Titan yelled as he guiltily flew farther away.

ѕo...тнιѕ ιѕ нow ιт all endѕ...aғтer all oғ wнaт ι нad тo go тнroυgн aт нome...тυrnιng ιnтo an owl, and now ι waѕ aвoυт тo dιe...

'σηℓу ιƒ уσυ αℓℓσω уσυяѕєℓƒ тσ...уσυ нανє α ρσтєηтιαℓ ιηѕι∂є σƒ уσυ тнαт ησт єνєη уσυ уσυяѕєℓƒ єνєη кησωѕ αвσυт...υηℓσ¢к тнαт ρσωєя-тαкє ƒℓιgнт!'. The voice thundered through my mind...

Who was it...?

I then closed my eyes and focused on my energy,...my gizzard. I then opened them and stole a look from Nyra; her eyes were gleaming with amusement...but why?

I looked back at the helmet-wearing sooty owl, and he had shock written all over his face, but still kept a menacing glare.

I then quickly looked at my wings; they were glowing bluish-orange, along with my talons emitting a pale blue.

Then almost instantaneously I knew what to do. I quickly stared back at the mask-wearing sooty owl and made my move. I turned my wing free from the opposing owl's battle claws, and pecked the mask-wearing owl in the neck with my beak.

"Ugh, you little brat!" scorched the evil owl in pain.

'тнιѕ ιѕ мeтalвeaĸ, ιт jυѕт нaѕ тo вe!'

The thought came through my mind like a flash of lighting, almost like how I identified Skench earlier...what was this...did I recently know these owls before? Maybe the books I've read?

I snapped back to my senses, and at the right time too. Metalbeak was just about to claw me right in half! Luckily I swiftly, and gracefully evaded his attack.

I flapped my wings, which were still glowing with dazzling colors and flew at Metalbeak at full velocity. It felt more like I was torpedo...accept it was more like a heat-seeking missile, because I wasn't gunna miss.

I slashed past Metalbeak like a katana blade, but the amazing part about my attack was that it wasn't my talons or my beak that had Injured him...but it was my wing!

I roughly recovered, and flew back at the remaining two soldiers. "Take this you scondrols!" I yelled as my talons guided in and gripped around the owl's neck, did a full-spiral, then threw him into the ground below. The second owl stood straight up like a twig and went what the owls called- 'yeep', and plummeted towards the ground.

"And that's how it's done!" I said, over-excitedly.

''...тнanĸ yoυ...'' I thought looking up into the moon-lit sky. I then immediately look to my right, and saw Nyra speeding violently towards me with such speed. You would almost think she was a bullet. "Oh cra-ohfff!" Before I could finish my words, she had plowed right Into my chest, knocking the wind right out of me.

I was plummeting toward the ground at rough speeds, but I was soon surprisingly caught by something... It was Metalbeak! He then threw me at a boulder around the edge of the canyons.

"..heh..." I gasped and muttered. I was definitely passing out.

тнє ѕσυη∂ σƒ ωιηgѕ вєαтιηg ιη тнє αιя ѕℓσωℓу gяєω ℓσυ∂єя, αη∂ ℓσυ∂єя, υηтιℓ му нєαяιηg ωαѕ ¢σмρℓєтєℓу вℓσ¢кє∂ σƒƒ; ι ѕℓιρρє∂ ιηтσ α ∂єєρ ¢σмα...


	7. Chapter 7

"ι нανє яє∂ємє∂ муѕєℓƒ ву gινιηg вєℓιєƒѕ тσ тнє ωιηgѕ σƒ тнє уσυηg. вℓєѕѕє∂ αяє тнσѕє ωнσ вєℓιєνє, ƒσя ιη∂єє∂ тнєуνѕнαℓℓ ƒℓу"

-gяιмвℓє, тнє ¢αρтυяє

"...Ugh."

I was slowly awakening back to my consciousness. "What's...going on?" i spoke very faintly. I tried to look around, but my head was as nauseous as hagsmire.

I then heard small voices in the background, and it sounded like a conversation...

Then once again, the flashing thoughts happened again, but this time it wasn't just a powerful thought, or the name of someone I didn't even know about just yet, but it was like a flashback...

 ***7 MONTHS BEFORE ENTERING GA'HOOLE***

 _"Hey, wasup Randon?" I said to my cousin as he exited his mom's car._

 _"Sup, man." he replied back to me._

 _He then turned his attention to my iPod touch._

 _"...oh, no..no." I said instinctively. "What?"_

 _My cousin was obsessed with trying to get my iPod touch for the keeping, but I always thought why he would want it in the first place? It had a big, wide crack going in almost every direction, and was even glitchy at times._

 _"Dude, don't worry, I'm not after the Ipod.." he said while sighing._

 _"...At least not yet..." he whispered to himself._

 _"I'm sorry, what was that?" I told him out of the corner of his mind. "Uhhh?...n-nothing!" he said, passing me by._

 _*Sigh*_

 _We both walked to my apartment door, and since I lived near a small wooded forest, it was at least, most satisfying._

 _We wasted time by playing Modern warfare 2 all day, and I totally PWND him. He was still a great gamer though, and considering the fact that I was 'console-less', I was surprised I even stood a chance against him._

 _A couple hours later, my cousin's mother came back to pick him up._

 _"Xavier, tell Randon, Monique is here!" my mom said in the distance._

 _Monique was my cousin's, mom's name, Obviously. I helped pack up his Xbox controllers, games, console, e.t.c._

 _"Alright, that's it, see ya later- next month I guess..." he said on que._

 _"Yeah, see ya." I said walking up to him. We both knew what was coming next._

 _"Brofist?" I said to him, extending my arm and forming my hand into a fist. "Brofist!" Randon replied back. We were always acting childish in a serious-type of manner. We bumped fists, and he walked out the door with his Xbox 360. I followed behind. I said my goodbyes, gave my aunt a hug, and watched as they drove off out of sight._

 _I slowly turned around and walked toward my apartment...but then I notice something extra-ordinary._

 _It was what looked like an injured bird! I quickly jolted to the small and mysterious bird like a fox, and crouched beside it._

 _I then realize something. It wasn't any ordinary bird, in fact it was an owl that's population didn't even belong here! "Is this a snowy owl?" I said to my self almost inaudibly._

 _нσω ιѕ тнιѕ ρσѕѕιвℓє?_

 _I carefully picked up the snow white-colored owl. It looked like a female._

 _It eyes barely opened. It looked like it was in shock, and had a broken wing. "Aw man! Your going to be okay..." I said softly to the snowy owl._

 _ӨF CӨЦЯSΣ IT ЩӨЦD'ПT ЦПDΣЯSTΛПD MΣ, ΛПIMΛLS CΛП'T SPΣΛΚ ΣПGLISΉ...ӨЯ ЯΣΛLLΥ ΣVΣП TΛLΚ...matter of fact, I don't even think you would've even understood that!_

 _Just then, I thought I heard a voice, but came to the conclusion that it was "all in my head"._

 _"H-hello, 'Other'..." a mysterious voice echoed._

 _"Did, did someone just say something!?" I said as I looked around me._

 _"No! You fool, down here!" the voice said abruptly._

 _Was the owl freaking talking to me?_

 _"Y-you?" I said looking directly at the owl. "*Sigh*, yes, me." The snowy owl replied back._

 _"Oh, sorry..." I said feeling dumbfounded._

 _"It's quite alright." she said very peacefully staring at me with it's yellow-sparkling eyes. "As you can see, my wing is quite well injured..."_

 _This just didn't make sense. How was I talking to an owl? I was saying physical words, she understood them, and was responding back with eyesight and her own words._

 _"Well...what happened?" I quickly replied._

 _"Well, I can't quite remember it all exactly." The snowy owl said to me. "Oh...take your time." I told it while crossing my arms and legs._

 _She stared at me questionably._

 _"Well, first off, I am not from 'here'."_

 _"Your an alien?" I said jokingly. I always believed they didn't exist, but hey, what would you have said to that? "What in glaux name is an 'alien'?" she responded with curiosity, and at the same time rotating it's head back and forth to stretch out any tight muscles._

 _"N-nevermind that...continue?" I said almost immediately._

 _"Yes,..well I come from a place far from here, ON EARTH!" She said before I could make any extra-terrestrial references._

 _"ѕмarт вιrd" I thought._

 _"...You see, I come from a place called Ga'hoole, and I was flying into a place called 'The Devil's Triangle', and soon enough, I got lost, and ended up here..." she said while looking at the trees._

 _She continued. "I was suppose to be hunti-" She cautionary stopped herself from saying anymore of what she was about to say._

 _"-I mean finding someone, but they saw me as an enemy and chased me into the Devil's Triangle, then I became completely lost...I flew around, and ended up here." she said painting from how quickly she poured out her words.._

 _'ѕσмєтнιηgѕ σƒƒ αвσυт тнιѕ σωℓ...besides the talking part of course' I thought to myself._

 _"Well...never got your name?" I suddenly told her._

 _"Ohh? You want to know my name?" the snowy owl said to me with a menacing look, somehow keeping her innocence. "Well..my name is-_

 ***FLASHBACK ENDED***

-Finny." An owl added as I suddenly snapped back to reality. I was dumb-folded.

The same snowy owl arrived inside of the room.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the quick chapters and all. The story starts off in first-person perspective and then branches out in other character's perspectives later on, just so you wont for any reason get confused. I am hoping to make this story a lot better!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

"You talking to me?" I said nervously glancing at the mysterious owl. "Is there anyone else in this room, young'un?" the owl snapped back with a soothing voice.

тнιѕ σωℓ ѕσυη∂ѕ ƒιмιℓιαя...

The owl then slowly walked into the moonlight...revealing that she was indeed a snowy owl.

ιт waѕ тнe owl ғroм тнe ғlaѕнвacĸ!

"Remember me?" Finny announced glaring at me dead-on. "Fin-finny?, it's been at least-

"8 moons, I know..." Finny interrupted with delight.

eιgнт мoonѕ!? wнaт ιn glaυхмora waѕ ѕнe тalĸιng aвoυт?

She suddenly flapped her wings and softly landed beside me. Just then, I tried to fly away, but I was so panicked that I failed to notice that I was tied up with vines the whole time.

"Dang it!" I pierced through the air, which soon echoed through the entire room outside somewhere.

wαít α mínutє...the єchσєs, they didn't return...thαt mєαns thєrє's α entrance nєαr вч! mαчвє í cαn єscαpє αftєr αll!

"Wh-why I am I here? why not the barn owl I was with earlier?" I said slightly frightened as she came closer.

"We were, but he started to fly away, I was watching from the sidelines beside Nyra...and she was intrigued with that move you pulled with Metalbeak." she slowly looked to me as she turned around and started to walk towards a figure which was just entering the 'Interrogation' room.

The figure grew larger and larger until I realised that the unknown figure was indeed Metalbeak.

"Surprised to see me, child?" Metalbeak started.

*MEANWHILE* (Titans P.O.V)

"Ugh, I can't believe I just left him behind like that!" Titan yelled out loud. It was raining torrentially, and this was my 3rd time flying. I was never as good as flying...especially since I never got to with my Mum and Da...

*FLASHBACK*

It was a late afternoon, just before sunset. I was just a hatchling and I was being admired by my parents, but I had always dreamt of flying.

"Ma, one day I'll be a guardian! just like the legendary Liez of Kiel!" I proudly proclaimed. "Oh, honey...one day." my Mum replied with delight and started to smile.

"Darling..." my Da nervously called to Ma. "huh?. ..don't worry Titan, mommy will be right back!" she replied with a slightly sweet, yet worried look on her face.

I saw her glide out of the tree, and then there was a long silence...

ωн-ωнєяє αяє тнєу?... I thought to myself looking around with worried eyes.

Then there was a commotion outside. I was still just a hatchling, about 2 weeks old, but I still knew how to walk of course!

"Ma!" I screeched. My parents were being flanked by at least 5 owls that had what looked like helmets on their heads...with glowing fiery red eyes! "Get back inside, honey!" my Ma screeched at me, but she was now distracted.

one of the helmet-wearing owls was larger than the others.. and looked like a sooty owl; his face covered by bigger mask, and one nearly-blind eye...

мєтαℓвєαк!

I had just had a flash of memory of the legends, and the 'Battle of the Ice Claws'. тнєу нα∂ тσ вє яєαℓ!

I then remembered the fight between my parents and the mysterious evil owls... Just then I saw one of the owls pin my mom down with it's talons, then lifted her up by the neck and launched her down towards the rocky terrain.

"Good Glaux!, Jewela, hold on!" My Da yelled.

He spiraled towards her and out of my sight. I tried to lean forward a little to see easier.

I then lost my balance and nearly fell out of the tree! But something had caught me.

It felt like a silky-smooth, yet scaley texture..then my brain kicked in.

"Eltonie!" I exclaimed with joy. She was a Nest Maid snake that had been out on top of the tree admiring the view of the sky when she heard the ruckus.

"Eltonie...what's going o-

"Shh-shh-shh!" she said closing my beak with her head.

She slowly pushed me into the corner of the hollow behind a few owl dolls, or owlipoppens, the owl word for such.

Then suddenly, 2 of the Masked owls landed inside the tree that we lived in.

"There around here somewhere...keep searching!" Metalbeak ordered with such firmness and evil that we even saw one his soldiers shiver in fear.

They were knocking down virtually everything! Paintings, cups, old, but yet very informative books, e.t.c.

...

Then Metalbeak suddenly looked to his right. We were on his left, thank glaux...but what was he staring at?

Metalbeak slowly walked towards something shiny. "Hmmm..what do we have here?" He said menacingly.

He picked up the shiny object with his wing.

I felt Eltonie quiver...

It was a necklace of some sort, one that Elotine had given to my Mum after she and my Da became mates.

I focused on the other two menacing owls, and they were awaiting any orders to be given.

Metalbeak gave them a nod, then they suddenly flew off, and out of the hollow.

Metalbeak then turned his focus back at the necklace...grasped it with one of his battle claws...and then crushed it. I felt Elotine grip me a little harder, as she was already coiled around me for my own protection.

Suddenly Metalbeak shifted his wings a little, then look at the corner where we were hiding at.

"σн, ησ...∂ι∂ нє ѕρσт υѕ?"

He slowly, and unhesitatingly walked towards us.

σн, ησт ησω! ησт αт тнιѕ уσυηg! ι ¢αη'т ∂ιє ησω!

He then Stopped right in front of the huge pile of owlipoppens.

"Run..." Elotine whispered.

"Wh-what?" I replied quietly, but still a little shaky.

"Run!" Elotine hissed as she sprung out and rammed into Metalbeak full-on. I quickly came out of the hiding spot and dashed for the hollow's entrance. Metalbeak soon refocused his vision from the 'surprise', and lunged his talons at the nest-maid snake, but she quickly slithered away from the attack.

"now!" Elotine thought in a flash.

She lunged forward while Metalbeak was still recovering from the strike he had previously taken from the snake.

She knew what she had to do...

She quickly wrapped herself around Metalbeak.

"Hurry, child, go!" Elotine Yelled to the maximum.

I didn't know what to do, or where to go. I Couldn't even fly yet!

I looked behind me in shock as he began to free himself from Elotine's grip.

"oh, come on! something!" I squealed out loud. I may have just been a hatchling at the time, but with all honesty, a natural-born thinker.

"Aww, I'm gonna regret this!" I told myself as I neared the edge of the tree. I ethnic took a deep breath...and leaped. I screamed my gizzard off...but after a while, something had just caught me with his talons...

But It wasn't a pure one...

I snapped back to reality, and at the right time too! I saw two owls just in the clearing. The rain stopped.

"H-Hey!" I screamed at the two unknown owls. They slowly grew closer as I glided my way towards them.

*BACK TO SHARD*

"Ouff!" I exclaimed.

"Still not gonna tell us?" Metalbeak slowly told me.

He was still angered by the fact that I injured him, dishonorably in front of His mate, Nyra.

"I don't know! it just happened..and pain and suffering of me won't help you activate it any further.." I replied in pain.

"Pain...oh...I'll show ya pain," Metalbeak claimed as he rose one of his talons skyward.

"No!" Nyra's voice screeched softly. "We'll get to him... She flew over right behind me, and drew her beak close to my head.

...Sooner or later." she whispered into my ear slits.

I shivered at the sound of her voice.

Metalbeak then stared at me viciously for a couple of seconds, but it felt more like an eternity.

"Nyra...would you please..." Metalbeak started gliding his eyes slowly away from contact with mine. Metalbeak then, in an almost relaxed way, walked towards another chamber.

I looked over and watched as Nyra walked slowly around me.

"So you're the terrifying featherhead everyone's been talking about

When she looked up at me, she looked enraged. And I kinda regretted opening my beak.

I had no choice but to taunt and mock her, what else could I do?

She stormed up to me and slapped me hard across my beak with her wing, and following this, she raised her talon, raking my wing from top to bottom.

I screeched from the sharp pain.

She brought her beak uncomfortably close to mine and whispered softly, "I will be right back with you and we will have a nice, personal talk."

She let go of my beak, but I couldn't help but keep staring into her eyes as she grinned maliciously and walked away. my eyes never left hers until she turned forward near the cave entrance and launched forward and towards the open area outside.

I flinched slightly at what she might do to me once she got back.

I was still dumb-folded and not to mention confused. _Why would they be so interested in me? I have a feeling it's more than just my 'mythical power''_

Then my memories popped back into my head. It was the last time I saw Grimble...

ѕυ¢н α вяανє σωℓ...ѕα¢яιƒι¢ιηg нιѕ ℓιƒє ƒσя υѕ ℓιкє тнαт...нσησя. ωαιт...нє ѕαι∂ ѕσмєтнιηg αвσυт тωσ σωℓѕ вєѕι∂єѕ мє αη∂ тιтαη...

Then I heard a clinking noise in the distance, and it sounded more like metal tapping the ground...

"oh no." I announced out loud.

"Nyra...would you please..." Metalbeak started gliding his eyes slowly away from contact with mine. Metalbeak then, in an almost relaxed way, walked towards another chamber.

I looked over and watched as Nyra walked slowly around me.

"So you're the terrifying featherhead everyone's been talking about

When she looked up at me, she looked enraged. And I kinda regretted opening my beak.

I had no choice but to taunt and mock her, what else could I do?

She stormed up to me and slapped me hard across my beak with her wing, and following this, she raised her talon, raking my wing from top to bottom.

I screeched from the sharp pain.

She brought her beak uncomfortably close to mine, whispering softly, "I will be right back with you and we will have a nice, personal talk."

She let go of my beak, but I couldn't help but keep staring into her eyes as she grinned maliciously and walked away. my eyes never left hers until she turned forward near the cave entrance and launched forward and towards the open area outside.

I flinched slightly at what she might do to me once she got back.

I was still dumb-folded and not to mention confused. Why would they be so interested in me? I have a feeling it's more than just my 'mythical power'.

Then my memories popped back into my head. It was the last time I saw Grimble...

ѕυ¢н α вяανє σωℓ...ѕα¢яιƒι¢ιηg нιѕ ℓιƒє ƒσя υѕ ℓιкє тнαт...нσησя. ωαιт...нє ѕαι∂ ѕσмєтнιηg αвσυт тωσ σωℓѕ вєѕι∂єѕ мє αη∂ тιтαη...

Then I heard a clinking noise in the distance, and it sounded more like metal tapping the ground...

"oh no." I announced out loud.

Then suddenly I saw a familiar owl fly up to me, scaring me almost to death.

тнє ѕαмє σωℓ ƒяσм вєƒσяє...тнє σηє ωнσ ¢αυgнт тнє вιя∂...!

"K-kludd?!" I said almost stumbling backwards.

"And how would you of known that?" he said curiously.

I replied with grimness and a bold glare, hoping to fool him to thinking I was a "tough guy", and honestly I wasn't. lol.

"I heard Nyra over talking about ya catching that bird."

He then turned fully towards me with an anxious Look.

When Kludd walked up to me, I gazed into his eyes and chuckled quietly. His gaze hardened as he asked harshly, "What is so humorous Shard?!"

He knew my name somehow...

I chuckled even louder.

I wiggled my wings, feeling the tight vines holding them in place, and I maneuvered my legs slightly and felt the vines restraining them also. But I noticed that their were no vines tied around my legs. ' _Okay, I need to do this perfectly, or I will go down hard if_ Nyra _finds out what I'm about to do.'_

Kludd had stepped away after a good long stare, and I heard a soft flapping noise coming from the gap in the cave's wall. I quickly glanced over and caught a flash of silver...

Nyra was back, and with something shiny gleaming in her talons.

тнσσѕє αяє вαттℓє ¢ℓαωѕ...I felt it was MY TURN to make a move.

With Nyra slowly, and immediately approaching, I gave myself one last push...

"Um...Well...here we go!" I said almost like a battle cry and with all my might; pushed myself forward with my talons and ran forward.

"Wh-what?!" I heard Nyra announcing out loud as I brushed passed her.

Kludd and the few guards that were with him at the time rushed over to look over the commotion.

"Bloody little WORM!" Nyra yelled at me with fury in every word as I was fastly approaching the ground below.

"SHOULD'VE TIED MY TALONS TOGETHER TOO CHICKENSCRATCH!"

Now at the very edge of the cave, I jumped.

уєαн...ι єѕ¢αρє∂...ιη αll...вυт ησω ωнαт!?

I was thinking hard, especially on the fact that I was approaching the ground with such speed, and not to mention the fact that I was still tied up!

I noticed a fairly big tree, 'raked' of all it's leaves, with pointed branches jutting outwards.

Then I got a brilliant, yet daringly-stupid idea.


	9. Chapter 9

I was plummeting towards the ground at an extremely dangerous rate. In a matter of minutes, I would make full impact...

"Great Scott, this is NOT GOOD!" I screamed, but knowing panicking like a little child isn't going to help me out of this situation, I tried to find a way to survive. I tried to maneuver my way towards a pointy, and fairly large tree just north of me.

Worst of all, I was still tied up.

I was going to use the jagged branch edges of the now-approaching tree as a knife, a key out of these "vine-chains".

"Just a little further..."

While I was approaching the ground as fast as a roller coaster, I was thinking about a few days back before entering Ga'hoole.

*shivers* ѕυ¢н ѕρєє∂...

I suddenly snapped back to reality.

 _THE BRANCHES!_

I was focusing my aim, because if I were to make on small mistake, the jagged branches would slice me to oblivion. Then there was a screeching noise from above.

It was a Pure One! and he was approaching fast!

I rotated my head back around and tried to ignore the approaching enemy, moving in even closer to the now imitating looking tree.

"Here we go!" I yelled as I zipped past the tree's sharp branches.

I felt a burning sensation on my belly, noticing I had been dangerously grazed by the deadly tree branch. I yelped in pain.

"Ughh!"

 _'But it cut the vines off of me!? I can't BELIEVE that worked!'_

I was getting closer to the ground, but something was wrong...

"What? I still can't fly!?" I screamed, losing my sanity.

My wings must've been completely worn out from being retained by those vines for so long...but that injury Nyra inflicted upon l my wing added to that problem.

I hadn't noticed at the time, but the Pure One was just inches away from killing me. I felt a swift wind brace against my neck. His claws sliced by me like a throwing knife.

ωσαн, тнαт ωαѕ ¢ℓσѕє!

He almost took off my head, and I wouldn't have seen it coming!

I turned and flapped my wings around and tried to fly, but to no avail; the pain on wind made me flinch.

"Wow, a bad time for your wings to not function!" I said to myself. Then the evil owl came back for more.

As his battle claws aired near me, I raised my talons toward his to defend, and we interlocked in mid-flight.

I wrestled them, trying to break free, but he was too strong.

"Your dead, you little haggard!" The mysterious owl screeched at me.

The voice sounded deeply similar to the one I had been speaking to earlier...

I began to become curious and suspicious...

I couldn't resist. I broke one of my talons free from his and grabbed his mask with it, then yanked it off.

"Oh, my..."

I gasped in horror...but not of what was underneath, but who it was...

"Surprised?" The owl said, his face now revealed to me.

"Kludd..." I said in a disappointed tone of voice.

We were honing in closer to the ground.

"Kludd...why?" I said, trying to reason with him. "Wh-why are you working for the pure ones? Those maniacs?!"

There was a roughly scary, but rather small silence between the two of us.

Kludd soon broke the silence.

"Because unlike you, I'm strong, and the strong belong with the strong...the Pure Ones! Owls like you deserve to perish from existence!" Kludd then paused, still smiling menacingly. He then continued. "...why don't you join us? You're a barn owl, most respected of Tytos, you could be like us." Kludd finished, his frown turning into a smile. One of persuasion.

I was shocked by what he had just said.

"N-no, you're wrong! I shouted. "I won't exchange my morals for any type of 'worldly' power! You...there just using you..."

Kludd looked surprised by my outburst. Then we both rotated our heads towards the ground.

We both gave out a slightly loud screech as we were just a few hundred feet from the ground below.

Just then I got an idea, but dreadfully enough, I would need the assistance of...well...Kludd.

"Kludd, Kludd!" I screamed in constant fear.

"Whaat?" He screeched back in anger, but with a hint of fear knowing what our fate could soon be.

"I can get us out of this...but I'll..Need your assistance!"

"Ha!, why would I-" Kludd then stared at the ground below. He then rotated his head back towards mine.

"F-fine!" Kludd soon said, slightly regretting what he had previously stated. I then extended my talons towards his.

"Give me your talons!" I blurted out to him.

"Well, sure. As soon as you STOP SCREAMING!" He said back even louder. I just rotated my head back towards the approaching terrain.

I then gained some momentum and spun in a clean circle, then swung Kludd towards a huge patch of bushes. Then I had to save myself.

 _Think Shard, think!_

Then I saw an opportunity.

"A lake!" I said aloud. Then I shuttered.

But owls can't swim...

I was now only just barely a few feet from impact.

"No choice!" I said as I felt myself pulling towards the gleaming lake. First there was the ferocious and rippling force of the high winds, then the drenching liquids of the lake.

I was knocked unconscious by the force of the impact.

All was quiet...then...

...

...

...

I was slowly awakening from my 'unintentional sleep', and heard a fire sizzling.

"Ughhh..." I moaned in agony.

Then I noticed an animal I've never seen with my own eyes before. It was a wolf.

"Oh, goodness...please don't let him eat me...please don't let that fire be for me!

"I see that you're awake..." the wolf said, in nearly a whisper.

"Hey...you're not planning on...cooking me in that their fire...are you?" I said with such a shaky voice, you'd think that there was just a small earthquake.

There was a brief silence. The wolf burst out laughing.

"Bwuahhaa...HAHAHAHAHA!"

"What's so funny?"

The wolf quickly answered. "Why would you think such a ridiculous thing?" he said replying in a flash.

"Well, I woke u-" I paused and noticed movement in my peripheral vision.

 _Kludd?_

He glanced over at the wolf and me, noticing my pause.

He smiled menacingly.

"What's he doing here?" I said with an annoyed tone.

"I saw what ya did, young'un."

I looked at the wolf with much more curiosity.

"You saved that there owl."

I then hit me- I remembered what had previously happened.

"We both had faced imminent danger, he had no choice." Kludd added in, overhearing the conversation, he also added a scolding look at me.

We both stared at each other viciously.

"Well if you're done glaring each other down, I would like to give you two a decent meal. You really do look famished.

The wolf then turned to us and waved his head towards the voles he had caught somehow not long before, as it looked. Both Kludd and I glanced at each other, then walked over to the fire to join the wolf.

"I see that your wing is fairly injured, as well as your ...we should get that healed..." the wolf said concerningly. The wolf immediately glanced back at us.

"Your names?"

Me and Kludd met eyes once again and then turned back towards the wolf.

I replied first. "S-Shard!" I spoke up.

"My name?...Kludd." he said with much dismay. The wolf just stared at Kludd suspiciously.

"Hmmm..okay." the wolf said back to the both of us.

"Well...eat up!" the wolf rejoiced.

We both took a quick look at the voles and with no question whatsoever, shot our talons at the grub, and metaphorically speaking: 'swallowed the voles whole'.


End file.
